Flagship Lookout – 4 Flagship Smartphones To Buy From 2016

A Flagship model acts as a great marketing tool for smartphone manufacturers. The buzz about an overly loaded phone keeps people excited for a long time even if they don’t have to buy it. Take iPhone 8 for example, the internet is already going crazy about it, Apple doesn’t even need to run a single advert for promotion, seriously. As soon as a new flagship is announced, people forget the blitz of the old flagship. They also forget it’s just being replaced by a (very) similar model with a + 1 in the name and a bunch of features that they might never end up using.

But, as a buyer, the good thing about an old flagship is that it’s still a brilliant phone even when it gets outdated. The manufacturer strategically cuts down on the sales price of the older flagship as soon as the rumors of a new one start floating in. And, this is the chance when you can get hold of a top-notch phone for a much lesser price. But before that, know that:

An old Flagship can be a great idea if:

You want a loaded smartphone in a budget.

You value the specs over “newness”.

The next level features of the next flagship (like iris scanner, heart rate monitor) don’t bother you.

An old Flagship can be a not-so-great idea if:

You don’t mind spending a fortune on a phone.

You want to keep the phone for a long, long time.

You want the latest OS updates first.

So if you belong to the former category, here are the top 4 flagship smartphones to buy that are soon going to be or have been replaced by their respective successors. If you are planning on buying a new phone, now is the time keep the cards ready!

HTC 10 is one of the best smartphones around the 35K mark. It’s competing with HTC U11 which is being dubbed as the “Squeezable Phone” due to its edge sensor. The 0.3-inch difference in screen size makes it lose out a tad bit on the PPI. Other than that, it sports a bigger RAM and the latest Snapdragon 835 with a 16 MP front camera. There are significant differences among the specifications but the price difference is way out of proportions. HTC 10 is 16K cheaper and will go down a few thousand bucks more, making it the best buy on our list.

Pixel is a serious competitor with a highly acclaimed camera and 4GB of RAM. Its subtly designed body and 5-inch screen are great to look at. As expected, Pixel 2 rumors and leaks have started showing up as we near October. There’s not much to talk about Pixel 2 other than that it would let go of the 3.5 mm jack. Considering that there are no benchmark differences expected in Pixel 2, it might not turn out that costly. Pixel is sitting at the 40K+ mark and should at least step down to 35 – 38 K.

Of all the Apple smartphones, iPhone 7 is at the best position to buy before the iPhone 8 launch, and if Apple isn’t planning a revolutionary change in its next flagship, we are good with iPhone 7. iPhone 6s plus is available for almost the same price as iPhone 7. You can expect iPhone 7 to come down to 35 K by end of this year which makes it a good choice for people who want to switch to iOS from Android.

Galaxy S8 is the first phone to try something out-of-the-league in the entire galaxy series with its “infinity” display. But, it seems like, it is the only thing that has changed. Galaxy S7 has the old boring look; however, it is one of the greatest flagship smartphones to buy, specifications-wise. You can see that S8 has almost the same processor, almost the same RAM, and exactly the same camera. So, let’s wait for S7 to plunge another 6 – 8 K with Note 8 release and enjoy a true flagship in the 30K range.

Key Differences

Specs

S8

S7

RAM

3 GB

2 GB

Processor

Exynos 8895 / Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 – USA & China

2.35 GHz

Octa Core

Exynos 8890

2.35

Octa Core

Screen

PPI (approx)

5.8” Super AMOLED @ 1440 x 2960 pixels

Corning Gorilla Glass 5

570

5.1” Super AMOLED@ 1440 x 2560 pixels

Corning Gorilla Glass 4

577

Secondary Camera

8 MP

5 MP

Fingerprint Sensor

Rear Mounted

Front Mounted

Price

60,000 INR

Now: 39,400 (32 GB)

Drop Expected: 6 – 8000 INR

Let us know in comments or via email if saving some bucks on these old flagships seems like a good idea to or not. More such price drop updates coming along soon! Stay tuned!

I am a techie who learned to write! With a Computer Science Degree and a lot of experience in messing around with technology, I bring real content to the readers of Ionizer.
I happen to be the founding members of the venture, with all-around participation in editorial and research activities.
Apart from the nerd-talk, I write poetry and love watching movies.